On behalf of Dr. Klaus Toepfer and the whole United Nations family, I am delighted to have this opportunity to welcome you to the United Nations in Nairobi. In a world that has become more interconnected through commerce and communication, the United Nations system is the only global political body for both dialogue and action. Nearly every country is represented in the United Nations, and each has the right to speak out on issues of peace and development, looking for common solutions to shared problems.